


The Fox and the Nightingale

by ClockDreamsForever0912



Series: The Clockwork King Series [2]
Category: Spyro, Spyro the Dragon (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Christian Themes, Curse Breaking, F/M, Flashbacks, Gen, Inspired by Ladyhawke (1985), Ladyhawke elements, Spyro-Freeform, The Clockwork King Universe, The Swan Princess elements, forgiveness and redemption
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:01:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25619287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClockDreamsForever0912/pseuds/ClockDreamsForever0912
Summary: Set during and after The Clockwork King.  In a faraway city, a young thief escapes what was called an inescapable dungeon.  This one act throws the young dragoness into a tale of two dragons cursed by a jealous, power-hungry Riptoc.  The young thief juggles between the unreadable bard and nightingale by day, and the mysterious songstress and fox by night.  All the while, they must come together to save a cathedral from corruption.
Relationships: Original Female Character(s) friendship, Tomas (Spyro) and Marco (Spyro), Tomas (Spyro) and Original Female Character(s) friendship, Tomas (Spyro) and Unika (Spyro), Tomas (Spyro)/Original Female Character(s), Tomas and Marco friendship, Tomas and Unika friendship
Series: The Clockwork King Series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1774027
Comments: 6
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1: Escaping the Inescapable

**Author's Note:**

> Now here is the next work in the Clockwork King universe! Finally, we have The Fox and the Nightingale! If I haven't said it before, this was inspired by one of my all-time favorite movies, Ladyhawke! If you haven't seen it, it's very enjoyable if you love fantasy romances, and it has a compelling story! I may have also added some inspiration from The Swan Princess (that was a childhood favorite). Now this has a few heavier themes compared to The Clockwork King, but it's worth the read! I hope to make it enjoyable for everyone and I'll be updating this, the Spyro drabbles, and working on The Clockwork Bride!
> 
> Now if you know the identities of said fox and nightingale, don't spoil it for anyone who hasn't watched Ladyhawke. Other than that, enjoy!

Chapter 1: Escaping the Inescapable

It was all over a knife.

Far from the friendly towns and far from tales of entities like the Clockwork King and the Forest Witch, a small city rested. Instead of a castle being the centerpiece, a cathedral took that role. Many of the citizens made daily trips to the cathedral to pray and give their thanks. Every service was headed by a middle-aged, dinosaur-like bishop. Very few knew the lizard’s true name to be Gnasher; they always referred to him as their Grace out of respect. 

There were rumors, however. Very few spoke of them to keep their heads. The black market in the seedier part of the city, however, spoke freely of the rumors of corruption. Lower members of the cathedral showed no signs of it, but rumors spread of Gnasher and his right-hand guard having dark sides to them. Rumors went that Gnasher was a silver-tongued conman posing as a bishop. Rumors that they would send dragons and other citizens to the ‘chop’ for the slightest offense. There was even talk of a dungeon underneath the cathedral to house said offenders.

Two guards resembling dinosaurs came inside the dungeon looking for fresh meat for the chop. Some prisoners quaked in fear, others simply resigned themselves to their fate. It was decided two would be required to pay for what they did. One they chose was a middle-aged mole who dared called the bishop a hypocrite and fraud for how he ran the cathedral. One of the guards was quick to seize the panicky mole by the scruff of his neck. The other was a young thief-a putrid little dragon-who dared to steal a knife from the head guard. But when they peered inside the shared cell…

“Hey…where’d she go?” The maroon-colored reptile asked.

The green-colored reptile snorted and turned to the mole in his grip, snarling, “Did any of you help that thief escape!?”

The mole shook his head frantically, finding himself laughing at their anger. “T-Th’ Lord’s with ‘er today! She managed to fit ‘erself in a tight spot an’ leave this awful place!”

But they didn’t believe him. No one has ever escaped this dungeon; they made sure of that. Despite his insistence he told the truth, the guards hauled him away for the chop and decided they’d have to find a replacement for the other. They kept hearing the mole’s ramblings that she managed to fit herself down a hole.

Down a hole…that was a new one.

The green-colored guard turned to his companion and muttered, “We’ve got to sound the bell. The bishop and Captain Gnero will have _our_ heads if we try to hide this!”

* * *

In the sewer systems below the cathedral, the bricks in a weak part of the wall fell out thanks to a clawed hand. The owner of the hand pushed away more loose bricks and squeezed out of the makeshift hole. The smell of waste water hit her nostrils and made her cringe, but she wasn’t about to stop because of the stink. She wasn’t about to take the chance that the guards could squeeze through, too. She pulled on the edges of the hole until she popped out and landed in the water.

A teen-aged dragoness with dark-grey scales rose out of the water with a gasp. The smelly water dripped off her dark-aqua frills and soaked into her cloak, causing her to wrinkle her nostrils. Her attention shifted as her escape plan kept coming together. There were many tunnels in the sewers; picking the wrong one would lead to certain death. She just had to pick the one that would take her to the river.

And Sharese, aka The Swamp Rat, wouldn’t rest until she reached it.

Sharese looked to a ladder leading to a grate. Curiosity overtook her and she climbed up, her slippery claws struggling to hold the metal bars. To her shock, she could hear prayers and the chanting of monks through the grate. The inside of the cathedral…that was a no-no. Before anyone could notice her presence, she let herself fall downwards and back into the smelly water. So much for that route…

The teen-aged dragoness frowned, muttering to herself, “Lord, if I can escape this place, I won’t steal stuff again.” Looking above, she innocently added, “Oh, and make my brother forgive me so he won’t kill me, please.”

There was a wooden grate at the end of the tunnel, prompting her to huff. It would be easy to breathe fire and burn the grate away. She would do that if she wanted to draw suspicion over a sudden fire in the sewers. Instead, she put her swimming skills to good use and dove underneath. Sure enough, part of the grate was broken, making a hole big enough for a dragoness her size. She easily slipped through and kept swimming, not looking back. Her heart raced as her oxygen faded and she saw sunlight. 

With a huge gasp, Sharese emerged from the water. It was right about that time she started hearing the bells. The bells warning of an escaped prisoner.

“Uh-oh…”

Any minute now, those guards would come swarming out and seeking her hide. Swimming all the way back to safety would tire her out quicker. Her wings were still catching up to her body going from quadruped to biped. There was no sticking to land all the way, either. She would have to switch it up and confuse them if it meant getting back to the swamps. The decision was made; she leapt out of the water and made her way towards the forests. She would switch between the forests and the river separating them and the city until the guards were gone.

Then she would face the wrath of her irate brother and fellow swamp-dwellers.

* * *

The gentle notes of a strummed lute echoed near the tree line. The river divided the cathedral and surrounding city from the vast forests and scattered towns. The forests served perfect for those wanting to live off the land and those wishing to hide. But the dragon playing the lute saw no need to hide with no one else around.

Tomas travelled as far as he could go for almost three years. Everywhere he went, he had a song to share; something to put a smile on someone’s face or kickstart their imagination. Wherever he went, another traveler never strayed too far. The yellow dragon glanced at a tree branch and found a dark-color bird chirping in-sync with the music. A smile crept upon his lips and the tempo increased to pose a challenge.

“A new one today?” He asked playfully. “I think I’ve reawakened your creativity, my dear.”

The bird flew down and perched on one of his curled horns, giving him an affectionate chirp. Tomas found himself laughing and nudged the bird onto his hand, jokingly scolding, “Now does my horn look anything like a tree branch?”

His only reply was the bird batting her eyes and nuzzling his neck. The bard let out a soft laugh before resuming his song and continuing their trek along the trees. He struck a few more chords on his lute, but found a noise in the background disrupting the melody. Only when Tomas stopped playing did he make out the sound. His blood immediately ran cold.

Church bells. Church bells that warned of an escape.

As the bird quickly perched herself atop his hat, Tomas squinted his green eyes and looked towards the city. A dark-grey figure popped their head out of the river and looked around. Sounds came from the city and prompted the panicky figure to swim under the bridge. Moments later, guards ran to the bridge and frantically scanned the waters for their crafty prisoner. One pulled out a crossbow and shot random arrows into the river.

“Where’d the little thief go!?”

One of the guards scratched his head and looked into the water. “She couldn’t have gotten far! M-Maybe one of those swamp gators came through and ate her…”

Tomas listened to the bickering guards from the trees. All but one seemed to finally give up and head back into the city. The yellow dragon suddenly caught sight of something emerging from the river’s depths: the fugitive. The young dragoness poked her head out slightly and watched the lone guard turn his back. It was obviously a sign that it was safe to swim along. But Tomas’ blood ran cold once again when the guard turned around and saw the fledgling’s head poking out of the water. The armor-clad dinosaur grinned and readied his crossbow for a fatal shot.

Not on his watch.

The bird wasted no time in following him as he took flight. She’d never observed him move so fast as he grabbed the would-be assassin by the scruff of his neck. The bird hid herself under his wing and watched the guard tremble in Tomas’ hold. 

The guard looked shock, sputtering out, “T-T-Tomas-“

Tomas exhaled a flash of fire in his face, then unceremoniously tossed him into the river. The impact made the escapee shriek and look to the guard floating face-up. For a split-second, she caught her source of rescue and they locked eyes. That changed when she saw the sack of gems and coins strapped to the guard’s side. In a swift motion, she cut it from his side with a grin and continued her journey up the river.

Tomas couldn’t help but rest his face in his palm. “So…that’s why.”

There was a moment of pondering, and Tomas made his decision. As unbelievable as it would be to some…this had to be a sign. He needed to follow the young dragoness and pray things would work in his favor. He wouldn’t voice it just yet, lest the bird be irate with him. After all, who would recruit a thief-a teen-aged thief-for his impossible mission?

He would, of course.

“Something tells me we need to keep an eye on her, my dear,” Tomas muttered to the bird. “They’ll be back…and there will be more of them.”

The bird seemed to agree. They wouldn’t follow too close and do more harm than good. They would tail her from a safe distance. Just as long as all of them got far enough away from the city.

Far enough from that evil creature…


	2. The Bard and The Thief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As news of the escaped prisoner reaches the not-as-he-seems Bishop, Gnasher, Sharese wanders into the deep forests to shake off any pursuers. In the process, she meets none-other than Tomas and his feathered companion. Sharese just wants to get home, but Tomas decides it's divine intervention that they've crossed paths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got the next chapter up! I had to re-watch Ladyhawke to get myself in the groove, but the story's going to have a lot of differences compared to the movie inspiring it, of course! I figure that Tomas would be very vague with his quest and why he wants Sharese to help him. And I've also introduced my original villains, Gnasher the Riptoc and Gnero the Gnorc. With Gnasher, he's even more greedy than Moneybags, but much more manipulative (we'll see more of that later on). We'll also see what role Marco ends up playing in all this, too.
> 
> Now the next chapter will introduce the other key character! Again, if you know who the fox and the nightingale of the story are, don't spoil it for those who haven't watched Ladyhawke. If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend it!

Chapter 2: The Bard and The Thief

The doors opened to reveal the courtyard inside the cathedral and the panicked guards braced for the worst.

Inside the lush, morning-lit courtyard, several monks tended the flowers and a nun watched over a group of children. The center of the courtyard held a cinnabar, dinosaur-like figure wearing a flashy, golden tunic. A red-and-black chimere accented his importance, as did the finely-polished crosier he held. It did well to draw away from the large tusk jutting from his bottom jaw and broken horn on his head and eerie, amber eyes.

This was Gnasher in all his glory. 

A sultry faun danced in front of the dinosaur-like creature while a satyr played a soft melody on a lyre. Another faun stood by to feed grapes one-by-one to the middle-aged bishop. Not far from the display was a hulking, green, goblin-like figure clad in black-and-gold armor. Scars littered his face and one of his fangs was made of pure silver. He stood motionless next to Gnasher and said nothing. The music came to a halt when the two guards dashed to their leaders.

“Y-Your Grace! C-Captain Gnero!”

Gnasher straightened himself from his reclined position and growled. He tried not to roll his eyes when he grumbled, “I heard the bells going off…don’t tell me you let a prisoner escape.”

The two guards looked to each-other before nodding in shame. The one on the left murmured, “F-Forgive us! It was the thief that stole from Captain Gnero; she escaped through the sewers!”

The hulking goblin in question looked to the cowering guards and growled, “That one escaped? You let yourselves get fooled by a whelp?”

Seconds later, the third, sopping-wet-and-scorched guard came in. The other four stood silent as he spat up mouthfuls of water. They swore a frog came flying out of his mouth, too. Finally, the guard stopped coughing and fought to catch his breath. The few words he uttered were enough to send a chill down Gnasher’s spine.

“T-Tried to…get…prisoner,” the guard wheezed, “b-but…T-Tomas…”

Gnasher’s face paled. He shook off his astonishment as his mind conjured dark thoughts concerning Tomas. Just that name made him sick to his stomach; he hadn’t heard that name in over two years. What would cause that irritating bard to show his face again? But his thoughts shifted to another matter of greater importance. If Tomas indeed returned, then his little companion would be with him, too. Maybe this would be his chance to finally get what he wanted…

“Was the nightingale with him?”

The soaked guard hit his head and water cascaded from his ear-hole. “I-I don’t know, he appeared so fast! I-I think there was a bird with him…”

The bishop got up and grabbed his crosier. He calmly straightened his tunic and his eyes narrowed at the guards. Motioning to Gnero, he commanded, “Go after that little thief…and if you see Tomas, make sure to gut him. But don’t let the nightingale be harmed, or I’ll have you up next for hanging.”

Gnero grunted, prompting the smaller guards to rush out and get ready for hot pursuit. Gnero’s strength wouldn’t be needed for that measly bard, or that thieving brat. Unless Tomas learned some new tricks in his years on the run, there was no need to worry at all.

After they were dismissed, Gnasher looked around and saw another guard. Unlike the others, this one was a slender, pale-scaled dragon with green fins on his head and tail. What made him stand out was the prosthetic metal wings attached to his back and the large halberd axe he carried. The bishop grinned and called out, “Marco, my boy!”

The dragon in question jumped and shot his head to the bishop, asking, “…Yes, Your Grace?”

Gnasher narrowed his eyes as his grin grew wider. He walked to the slender dragon and hooked his nail under his chin, explaining, “Go and quell any talk about a prisoner escaping. It wouldn’t be good if the citizens heard of a hardened criminal on the loose, would it?”

That was a lie, of course. In reality, Gnasher didn’t want anyone knowing that someone escaped the inescapable dungeon. That little thief would know too much-as did Tomas-and spill everything. Then there was the risk of rebellion and him losing his power. Marco knew this, too…but Marco wouldn’t talk with what he had on him.

To his relief, Marco nodded and muttered, “Yes…of course, sir.”

The bishop wore a fake smile and condescendingly patted the dragon on the shoulder. “Thatta boy. Now do well, and I’ll make sure that black spot on your record stays under-wraps.”

As Gnasher went off to his private chamber, the slender dragon felt a familiar pain in his back. He stared at the grass and stone path of the courtyard and mumbled, “Tomas…why’d you come back?”

* * *

Sharese shivered from her still-drenched tunic and nearly tripped over her third tree root. She miscalculated her swim up the river and found herself far from her destination. Instead of the swamps, she was deep in a forest; one miles-off from the swamps. She spent too much time in that city…now she was lost. And cold. And starving.

Her stomach growled loudly. All she had on her person was her knife and the stolen bag of gems and coins. Unless she found a tavern or market, a bag of money was useless. Her next option was to find some sort of game for food. There had to be wild birds or squirrels, maybe a hog if she was lucky. Her stomach growled again and she wondered if this was divine punishment for her theft. Well, she did promise not to steal again. And she rescinded that promise swiping the bag from the guard.

Looking up at the sky, the dark-grey dragoness growled, “I know I said I wouldn’t steal again, but I’m also a really weak-willed dragoness!”

Sharese sighed and kept on walking. She didn’t know how long or how far she walked, but she saw nothing but trees. Before she tripped on her fourth tree root, she heard melodic tweets up above. She strained her ears and crept across the forest floor. As soon as she spotted it on a high branch, she hid behind a tree and spotted it. There was a bird the size of a juvenile raven, only it didn’t look like a raven, and it sounded more like a songbird. Its feathers were dark, but Sharese could see a greenish gloss to them. What stood out more than its song was its deep, blue eyes, even with the distance between them. Under other circumstances, Sharese would stay there and listen to the bird singing without a care in the world.

But her stomach growled once again. It wouldn’t do much to fill her up, but it would have to do until she found better game.

The dark-grey dragoness pulled out her knife and readied it. She didn’t want to do this, but she wouldn’t starve to death. She inhaled and pulled her arm back for a strong throw…

…and felt her hand forcefully seized.

Sharese turned around and readied a scream. However, a set of claws reached forward and pursed her lips shut. Said claws and hand belonged to a tall, yellow dragon with curled horns and an ash-blonde beard. He donned a red hat and a worn cloak, tunic, and pants. Strapped to his side was a fanciful guitar-like instrument. His deep green eyes bored into her brown eyes with a tranquil fury that contrasted his lopsided smile.

“That bird is off-limits.”

The teen finally pulled herself out of his grasp and yelped. The commotion startled the bird and it flew upward; something Sharese noticed with great frustration. She growled at the larger dragon, “Great, ya let it get away!” She suddenly threw her hands up and stated, “Whatever, I was done listenin’ t’ it’s dumb song, anyway.”

She didn’t anticipate the bird in-question swooping down and pecking her on the head. She shooed the bird away and watched it perch on the yellow dragon’s shoulder. The dragon chuckled as he nuzzled the bird, humming, “She didn’t appreciate your criticism.”

As Sharese opened her mouth to retort, she looked into his eyes once again. They looked so much like the eyes of the figure on the bridge. As it dawned on her, her shoulders slumped and her knife slipped out of her hand. “Y-You…you’re th’ guy from th’ bridge! Th’ one who threw th’ guard into th’ river!”

The larger dragon stared at her for a moment, then cracked another smile and replied, “Was that me? You do look like the little scamp swimming up the river. It wasn’t nice for that guard to try and shoot a fledgling in the back.” He held out his clawed hand and greeted, “My apologies…they call me Tomas the Bard.”

This dragon was weird…but he did save her life. After some hesitation, the teen took his hand and replied, “Uh…they call me Sharese th’ Swamp Rat.”

Once they let go, Tomas once again gave his attention to the bird. Said bird perched herself on his horn and sang once again. The bard chortled, “For all your talk, you were entranced by the nightingale’s song. So that makes your criticism invalid.”

Sharese looked between Tomas and the bird, eyes widening. “ _That’s_ a nightingale? But it’s th’ size of a crow or somethin’! How’d it get that big!?”

The nightingale chirped indignantly and glared at the dragoness. Tomas put his hand in front of the bird and assured, “She was not insinuating that you’re fat.” He looked to the teen and vaguely explained, “She’s received a lot of love and care; perhaps that’s why. There have also been instances of beetles the size of your head, among other things.”

Now this dragon was starting to confuse her. She tried again to speak when the bard picked up the knife and put it in her hand. He pointed behind her and whispered, “And if you’re starving that much…perhaps you should find something more substantial.”

She turned and saw what he pointed to: a large, wild turkey. Now that was substantial. Holding her breath, Sharese drew her hand back and threw the knife, downing the wild turkey. If she wasn’t so confused by Tomas, she would immediately thank him. Instead, she pretended this was all normal and went to collect her prize. Tomas stared at the teen gathering the turkey and decided it was time to learn more about this young dragon.

* * *

A warm fire flickered under a freshly-roasted turkey. There was also freshly-baked bread, berries, and a bottle of cold tea shared among the two dragons. Tomas couldn’t help but grin as Sharese tore into a turkey leg and stuffed bread into her cheeks. He ate small bites, stopping to feed the nightingale a bit of bread or berries. 

“So, what were you doing swimming up the river and having a guard about to shoot you?” Tomas asked curiously.

Sharese swallowed her food and gave a small snort. “I busted outta th’ so-called ‘inescapable dungeon’. No way I was gonna get hanged high for stealin’ a knife!”

She didn’t notice Tomas’ eyes widen or the change in his voice. “You actually escaped the dungeon?”

“Well, yeah. Went through th’ sewers,” Sharese stated nonchalantly. “Ya seem t’ know a lot about th’ dungeon…ya from th’ city?”

Tomas cast his eyes down and fiddled with his food. The nightingale seemed to look at him in concern and huddled up to his neck. “You could say that. I just spend my days travelling around, entertaining everyone I encounter with a song and a story. Tales of the Clockwork King, brave knights…finding true love. It’s what a bard does.”

Sharese raised a brow and took a swig of the cold tea, stating, “Well, I’m headin’ back to th’ swamps. My brother’ll probably kill me, but at least I’ll be free of th’ city.”

Rats. Tomas hoped she wouldn’t say that. There had to be a way to convince her to stall her plans and aid in his own quest. Perhaps playing on the teen’s ego would do the trick. Teens loved having their egos stroked, after all. “Well, I must say, the Lord was certainly with you in escaping that dungeon. It seems He might have a greater purpose for you than thievery. Perhaps, say, a little mission I have.”

Sharese narrowed her eyes and took another bite of food, muttering, “Why would I help you? We just met…and I talk to th’ Lord all th’ time; He never mentioned a bard an’ a bird.”

“Well, you may have escaped the dungeon, but those guards will be hot on your trail,” Tomas explained readily. “And those greedy enough for a reward won’t hesitate to give you away.” As he saw the teen’s face drop, he knew he had her. “But I know all about being pursued…and I’ve evaded them for a long time. So…if you’ll help me on my quest…I’ll help you evade them and return you home.”

Why would she need his help? Then again, those guards were probably looking for her; they needed to keep calling that dungeon ‘inescapable’, after all. And she did get caught and get thrown in there in the first place. If Tomas evaded them as he claimed, then perhaps she needed to swallow her pride and accept the help. She failed to notice the shocked look on the nightingale’s face.

“Fine…but what is this quest?”

Tomas raised his hand and stated, “We’ll discuss that in the morning. You should finish your meal and keep yourself warm by the fire. Swimming in the river will chill a dragon to the bone, after all.”

Sharese pouted, uttering, “Ya ain’t my dad…”

But Tomas knew a dragon her size would fall asleep thanks to a full stomach and a warm fire. Sure enough, after an hour or more, she fell asleep by the fire. That left the bard enough time to wander deeper into the woods and collect his thoughts. He left his lute against a tree and reached into his cloak for a side bag. A reminiscent smile was on his lips when he pulled out a chained cross and a worn songbook. His smile grew sad when he pulled out some sunny-yellow fabric and held it in his hands. As he sighed, he suddenly met the irate face of the nightingale.

“I know why you’re giving me that look,” Tomas muttered, “but we need her help.”

The nightingale tweeted furiously and narrowed her eyes. Tomas saw her fly to a branch and insisted, “I know she’s still a child, but she’s the only one who got out of that unholy dungeon! May I remind you how many friends we lost to that place?”

But the nightingale wouldn’t have it. She flew to land on Tomas’ finger and chirped hurriedly. Tomas gave her a pleading look and spoke in a gentle voice, insisting again, “My dear…what if that fledgling is the answer to our prayers? We’ve waited over two years for an answer…and I think they were answered the moment those bells sounded.”

The bird seemed to think on it, her features softening. Neither one paid any heed to the setting sun behind them. Tomas stopped his begging when something landed in his free hand. When he looked down, his face paled when he saw two glossy, green-and-yellow petals. The nightingale shrank back and looked at Tomas with apprehension. As the sun nearly faded, Tomas swallowed a lump in his throat.

“…Looks like we have no choice but to discuss this later.”


	3. Song in the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sharese awakens to find Tomas and his bird missing, only his lute remaining. A search for him leads the young thief to a new pair: a dragoness and a tricky fox. The thief and the songstress get acquainted, prompting more questions than answers for the former.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I again emphasize not to spoil anything for anyone who hasn't watched Ladyhawke. 
> 
> Now we have Sharese meeting another one of my OCs, the dragoness Cadenza. Cadenza is, of course, a songstress, often singing to herself when alone. She also tends to hide her true feelings, especially to those she doesn't trust, and only reveals them when with someone she deeply trusts. In this case, it's her fox companion. Though I'd say some of you have already guessed there's more to the fox than meets the eye. And poor Sharese is just trying to get home and keeps running into strange duos. 
> 
> The next chapters will have some decent action, and the big reveal will be soon! I don't know if this will have as many chapters as The Clockwork King, but it'll be worth the read! After this story will be the next adventure for Lindar and Yukari, The Clockwork Bride!

Chapter 3: Song in the Night 

Sharese awoke with a shiver and realized the fire went out.

She resisted cursing once she realized it was nightfall. She should’ve stayed awake and maintained the fire, but a full stomach knocked her out quick. Why didn’t Tomas keep the fire up? She felt now that he only wanted to mess with her and punish her for making fun of that bird. She wanted to take the ashes from the fire and dump them all over him as he slept.

Wait…where was Tomas?

“Tomas?”

The teen’s frustration faded and she felt uneasy. She could hear crickets chirping and owls hooting. But nighttime was also when the wolves were out. Sure, she could breathe fire and take them out, but just the thought of wolves or wild boars made her gulp. She needed to find that crazy bard and get a move-on! She needed to get wood for the fire, too, just to find her way back. 

With a shiver, the dark-grey dragoness started walking into the woods and called out, “Tomas? Hey, ya crazy bard, where are ya!?”

No sign of him, and no sign of that bird. She couldn’t hear any birds singing in the forest. Now she felt scared. The teen picked up the pace and wrapped her wings around herself. It was about the only good they did right now; her wings still had to catch up with her body shifting to a bipedal form. If she didn’t find Tomas soon, those guards would…or some crazed hunter looking for dragon prey. 

Something against a tree caught her eye. As she got closer, she realized it was Tomas’ lute. The lute…but where was the bard that went with the lute?

“Crazy bard leavin’ ‘is lute behind,” Sharese muttered.

Curiosity crept into her mind right then. She didn’t know how protective he was of the lute, but her claws twitched with desire. It couldn’t be any different from playing a banjo or dulcimer, right? She carefully picked it up and held it in front of her. Too big for her, but she could still pluck the strings. What he didn’t know wouldn’t kill him.

As she went to pluck a string, there was a growl and a nip at her tail. Sharese yelped and dropped the lute, turning to see an unusual sight. Nipping her tail was a golden-colored fox, though she was shocked to find how large it was; the size of a dog! Her shock wore off as she whipped her tail and batted her hand at the fox.

“Get away, ya dang mutt!

The fox turned to run, but Sharese swore it was laughing as it yipped. As she went to grab for the lute, that was when she heard it. It wasn’t the song of a bird she sought earlier, but it was singing. A woman singing. Sharese’s face softened and she went to find the source of the singing. She could hear it grow louder and could hear the sound of the river flowing. She hid herself behind a tree as she got a good look at the singer.

Sitting by the river was a dragoness with mint-green scales and long, dark-green hair flowing down her back. Her webbed tail swayed behind her before dipping itself into the river. Her striking blue eyes looked to the night sky and the stars in it. As she fiddled with her dress and cloak, she continued her hauntingly-beautiful song. Her _voice_ was beautiful, yet Sharese detected a hint of sadness in it. The teen couldn’t help but lean closer and listen in.

A twig snapped under her foot. The dragoness stopped her singing and got to her feet in a panic. Sharese hissed and ducked behind the tree, hoping the dragoness wouldn’t notice her. 

“Who’s there? Come out and show yourself!”

The young thief bit her lower lip and pressed her back to the tree. As much as she wanted to find Tomas and go, she didn’t want to risk this dragoness being armed. She sucked in a breath and slowly revealed herself to the songstress. The dragoness’ expression softened as soon as she poked her head from behind the tree. She braced herself for any screams or thrown rocks or twigs.

“…Were you spying on me?” The dragoness asked.

The teen averted her eyes and confessed, “Not on purpose, ma’am. I was just lookin’ for someone an’ I heard your singin’.” She stepped out into the open, Tomas’ lute in-hand, and revealed she meant no harm. “Ya have a really beautiful voice…”

The dragoness focused her eyes on the lute in the young one’s hands. Somber nostalgia filled her eyes, but she masked it from the fledgling and forced a graceful smile. “Thank you…but it’s not nice to spy on dragons. If you hope to earn my trust…you have to tell me who you are.”

Sharese prayed she wouldn’t be weird like Tomas. “I’m Sharese…but everybody calls me th’ Swamp Rat. Who’re you?”

The dragoness sat back down by the river and put her hand to her chest. “My name is Cadenza. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sharese.” She motioned for the fledgling to sit down before stating, “If you’re looking for a friend, I understand. I’m actually waiting for a dear friend of mine, as well.”

Just a moment later, something ran through the thicket towards the two dragonesses. Sharese yelped when she saw the large, golden-colored fox that attacked her tail earlier. As it started running for Cadenza, she went for her knife and cried, “Look out, it’s that crazy fox! It’ll bite!”

To her astonishment, the fox ran to Cadenza and lovingly nuzzled her hand. The teen’s jaw dropped; she had to be going crazy. Cadenza chuckled and scratched under the fox’s chin, stating, “Bite? This one? He’s an absolute sweetheart.”

She had to be dreaming. She had to be in some insane dream and needed to wake up. Sharese was ready to throw her hands in the air and give up, but she only expressed it by inhaling sharply. As she looked to the fox, she noticed his deep, green eyes staring through her. Oddly familiar…no, the forest had to be playing tricks on her mind. She felt an overwhelming sense of confusion and quietly sat down in the grass across from Cadenza.

“Now then, if your nickname is of any indication, what’s a child like you doing far from the swamps?”

_‘I ain’t a child.’_ Sharese shrugged, nonchalantly answering, “I got outta th’ city before they could hang me. I got caught stealin’ a knife from some guy named Gnero.” She saw the shocked look on the dragoness’ face and knew she said too much. No point in trying to backtrack. “What did ya think I was, a lost orphan?”

She didn’t expect Cadenza to shoot her a look. “Thievery is wrong, young lady. Nevertheless…it’s good you got out of the city and away from that horrid Gnorc. Or worse…” She noticed the teen’s curious expression; she couldn’t reveal the true dangers of the city or the darkness brewing in it. She needed to get away from the city and stay away from it. 

The dark-grey dragoness tilted her head and narrowed her eyes, asking, “What about you? You a princess or somethin’? Princesses sing in th’ forest an’ all that.”

Cadenza looked taken aback with surprise. The fox, having since rested on her lap, looked up at her with a cheeky grin on his muzzle. Suddenly, the mint-green songstress found herself chortling at the thought of herself as a princess. “No, no, far from a princess, but I’ve been treated as such!” As her chortling died down, she sighed, “I haven’t had a good bit of humor in a while…”

All right, this lady was weird…yet it actually felt nice to talk to another dragoness. The only other dragoness Sharese had to talk to was the cranky old swamp matriarch. Sharese couldn’t help but chuckle for a moment. For that moment, she forgot she was on the run from the cathedral guards and avoided the gallows. She forgot she struggled to get home and had to rely on some weird bard and his bird. Though now she had to deal with this dragoness and her fox, it was still a moment worth having. Then she remembered that there was still no Tomas to claim his lute.

“I guess I’d better go look for that crazy bard,” Sharese muttered as she got to her feet. “It shouldn’t be hard t’ miss a tall, yellow dragon an’ a bird…”

Cadenza’s eyes widened and she immediately grabbed Sharese’s arm. As the teen opened her mouth, the mint-green dragoness looked her in the eyes and scolded, “Not at this time of night. It’s too dangerous to wander around; you should stay here and get some sleep.”

“What-“

But Cadenza wasn’t about to listen to her complaints. “Please, Sharese…you need rest if you hope to find him. I’ll watch over you.”

She had a point; she still felt weary from breaking out of the dungeons and swimming up the river. Maybe if she slept, Tomas would finally show up. Before she could sleep, the fox flashed her a grin as if to say ‘do what the lady says’. She stuck her tongue out at the fox before laying on her side, her back to the pair. Cadenza couldn’t help but smile, and she quietly undid her cloak and laid it over the young dragon. Now she needed a warm fire…

As gently as she could, she pried the lute out of Sharese’s grip and held it close to her. She could almost smell him on pegbox and her eyes burned with sorrow. She then remembered there was another matter to settle, and she shot a disapproving look down at the fox. He had the gall to look so innocent, too.

“I’m still disappointed with you…I just played nice to save face.”

The fox was determined to butter her up by handing her a branch. Cadenza sighed and took it from his jaws, adding, “I know you think I’m being overprotective, but she’s a child. A child who made some foolish decisions, but still a child.”

Again, the fox did what he could to get on her good side. He sat down in front of her and flashed bleary green eyes, hoping she would cave. The dragoness stared hard at him before sighing and slumping her shoulders. “I know…but we can’t let anyone get killed over us. She already escaped from that dungeon…”

The fox’s face softened and he let out a sad whine. There was no point continuing this tonight. Before they knew it, it would be dawn. They still needed firewood and they had to keep the teen in the dark for now. Nonetheless, Cadenza felt divided over the issue. No one else escaped that dungeon alive, yet Sharese did and outran the guards. She prayed and prayed for an answer to their dilemma for a long time. Could this young dragoness really be that answer? She didn’t know what to think right now.

Patting her hip, she beckoned the fox with, “Come walk with me, my dear. Let’s hope she sleeps until after dawn…”


	4. Day and Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sharese awakens to find Tomas and the nightingale, with Cadenza and her fox nowhere around. The trio narrowly avoids the pursuing soldiers and Sharese is livid when she hears Tomas' quest. Tomas is sure to ensure she tags along, leaving the young dragoness to seek help when nightfall comes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had some writer's block and art block here lately, sorry for that! Now, I'm not meaning to make Tomas out-of-character in this story if he seems out-of-character, but he's become a desperate dragon and desperate to find a way out of his predicament. Not to worry, he gets better as the story goes on! Now the next chapter is where things get serious, and we get the big reveal about the mystery behind Tomas and the nightingale and Cadenza and the fox! Until then, stay tuned!

Chapter 4: Day and Night

Sharese remained asleep, unaware of the cloak on top of her and the long-dead fire beside her. The cool grass kept her in her slumbering state and in blissful ignorance. She twitched every so often and mumbled a few names, even pawing at an invisible force. One observing would see a thin trail of saliva from the corner of her muzzle. Her two observers certainly saw that and found it humorous.

“She looks so innocent sound asleep,” Tomas mused aloud. He turned to the nightingale on his shoulder and smirked, asking, “Would you like to do the honors, my dear?”

The nightingale shot him a look, yet she couldn’t resist bouncing onto the teen’s head and pecking at her scalp. It took a few pecks for the stubborn dragoness to yelp and jolt out of her slumber. It then registered what woke her up, prompting her to angrily shoo the bird back in Tomas’ direction. It didn’t process right away that it was Tomas and the nightingale, but as soon as it did, Sharese did a double-take. The bard finally showed up…but where were Cadenza and the fox? When did Tomas come back? Too many questions ran through her mind and caused a mild headache.

“Where were you last night,” Sharese asked, irritation in her voice. “I was actually worryin’ about you an’ your rank bird.”

The jab was revenge over the pecking, Tomas knew, but he could see the nightingale puffing her feathers out and narrowing her eyes. He would be sure to have a talk with the teen on being respectful, for her sake. “Someone had to patrol the area and be sure we weren’t followed. But enough on that; I hope you’re ready for breakfast, little thief.”

It was true, but ‘little thief’ sounded like an insult from the bard’s lips. But the smell of a fire and roasted meat took away any offense and reminded her of how hungry she was. There she was greeted by roasted fish, edible mushrooms, and more bread; she even spotted freshly-picked apples. The young dragoness got up and started towards the fish when Tomas nonchalantly slapped her hand away. She yelped, but what irritated her more was how he tsked at her like a small child. Even the nightingale shot her a disapproving look.

“Wait until I say grace first, my impatient companion.”

Tomas knew the teen said some undesirable things under her breath, yet she seemed to comply for the promise of food. He found himself amused watching the young dragoness inhale her food, nearly choking twice. And this was the same dragoness that escaped the inescapable dungeon. She was still young, he reminded himself, and had yet to learn all the ways of the world…and just how vital she was to his mission. He had others he could turn to, but the first that came to mind could have been dead by now. He prayed that sharp-tongued prince had more fortune than he did.

“I take it you slept through the night?” Tomas asked innocently.

Sharese fiddled with the last of her food, eyeing Tomas’ half-full plate, answering, “No, I was out lookin’ for ya. What kind of bard leaves ‘is lute behind?”

The yellow dragon didn’t look at her, instead feeding a bit of apple to the nightingale. “I can’t have it with me all the time. A bard’s important parts are his arms and hands, along with his throat. If one goes, the rest falter.”

The dark-grey dragoness rolled her eyes and tossed an apple core aside, using her claw to pick her fangs. She ignored the look of disgust on the nightingale’s face. “Well, while y’all were out patrollin’ or somethin’, ya missed th’ dragoness singin’ in th’ forest. Her name was Cadenza.”

Tomas seemed to tense up at that, something Sharese failed to notice. He had to quickly regain his cheerful persona and be sure the young one didn’t notice anything amiss. Even the nightingale looked at him with uncertainty. He quickly cleared his throat and forced a smile. “Is that right? Well, I’m glad to know you’re making friends. Better than a guard hunting you down, right?”

Sharese found herself looking at the bard and wearing a lopsided smile. She rested her arms on her knees and chuckled, “Well…she was pretty nice. Kinda weird, but nice. Sang pretty, too. I coulda done without that fox of ‘ers bitin’ my tail.”

Without warning, Tomas picked the tip of her tail up, earning a yelp of protest. Sharese failed to notice a flash of guilt come across his face amidst her protesting. Tomas, spotting small bite marks near her tail, observed, “I see…it’s nothing that’ll cause infection, however. Good thing that fox wasn’t rabid. It’ll heal up in a day or so.”

Taking her tail back from the bard, Sharese grumbled and sat indignantly. Only as she stewed in her frustration did a memory rear its ugly head. Tomas said something about needing her help with a quest so he would take her back to the swamps. What was he going to ask her to do, find a princess? Or if it was finding treasure, she was all for that…as long as she got some of it. The sight of gold and gems would be reasonable to quell her brother’s wrath, along with the rest of her swamp fellows. 

“So…what’s this thing ya want me t’ help with?”

As Tomas opened his mouth to explain his quest, he heard something coming through the forest. He knew of those who resided in the forests, and these voices didn’t belong to them. He could make out commands to ‘find the fugitives at once’. His blood ran cold and he immediately grabbed water and put the fire out. He gathered his lute and other things, then set his sights on the confused teen. As soon as she opened her mouth, he scooped her up with his free arm and flew up into the dense trees. Sure enough, soldiers from the city appeared just minutes later. Tomas was sure to hold his hand over Sharese’s muzzle the entire time.

“Remains of a fire…were they here?” A green-skinned one asked.

An orange-skinned one looked over the scene and exhaled out of his nose. “Them, or hunters from the distant town. We won’t stop until we find them. Just remember not to hurt the bird, like the bishop said.”

“I don’t get what’s so important about some bird,” a blue-skinned soldier grumbled. “Let’s not go too far, or we might run into that forest witch.”

They marched away from the scene, spears and swords in-hand. Tomas knew not to fly down right away. They had to get away from this place. Ignoring the fidgeting teen in his hold, the yellow dragon quietly flew through the trees and away from the campsite. The nightingale tucked herself under Tomas’ cape and wore a look of worry, looking between the bard and the teen. There was no telling if they would truly be free of the soldiers on their trail. 

After an hour or so, the trio arrived in a hilly part of the forest, surrounded by fog that obscured the sun. The hillside area combined with the fog proved chilly for the dragons and bird. Tomas and Sharese donned hooded cloaks and walked through the forest, staying vigilant with every step. But their travelling proved tiresome, leaving them all desiring some rest. Tomas was the first to indicate his fatigue when he sat by a tree and pulled out his lute.

“All right, spill it,” Sharese murmured, “what’s your quest or whatever?”

Tomas propped his hat up and cast his green eyes upon the teen. As the nightingale nuzzled against his neck, he sighed, “I suppose I should tell you, hm? Well…I intend to confront a diabolical monster. I’m going to expose him as the monster he is to those who’ve suffered under him for the past five years. Whether I perish or not, I want to get the truth out.”

“That’s it? You’re not rescuin’ a princess or somethin’? Okay…who’s this monster you’re gonna expose, anyway?”

The bard had an unusually-serious look on his face. “…The bishop himself. And that’s where you come in.”

Sharese’s brown eyes widened. “Wait…ya wanna go into th’ city? Why do ya need me?”

“Well, you escaped from the dungeon. I supposed if you could get out, you could help me get back in-“

The dragoness suddenly got to her feet. “No. No. Way. I’m not goin’ back there. If ya wanna get killed, that’s fine! But I ain’t goin’ back there!”

Tomas didn’t mean to sound desperate when he pleaded, “I only need you to provide a way in. After that, you’re free to go your own way. I have to do this so he can’t hurt anyone else-“

“Oh, really? Ya really expect me t’ believe ya?” Sharese pulled her cloak around herself and scowled at him. She didn’t agree to this, even with the promise of getting home. “Screw this; I’ll get back to th’ swamps on my own.”

As the teen began to walk away, Tomas called, “You expect to navigate through the deep forest, in the fog, with those soldiers still out?”

Sharese stiffened and stopped in-place. Why did this bard, this crazy bard, always have a point? She wanted to find a rock and throw it at him. At least she saw the bird give him an irritated look when she turned around. The bird was with her on this one, right? “…Can I at least sleep on it?”

That seemed to appease Tomas. The bard smiled and pulled his hat down. “That, you may. But I will find out if you try to run from this place. Just sleep for now, little thief.”

* * *

Oh, Tomas made sure she wouldn’t get far. He didn’t tell her that he was going to tie her wings together. She made sure to let him know she wasn’t happy about it.

Unfortunately for her, when night fell, Tomas disappeared once again. Again, he left his lute behind, and there was no trace of the nightingale. How would Tomas make sure she stayed put if he wasn’t around to enforce it? He confused her so much. On the bright side, she found a potential solution to her dilemma.

As she trudged around the area, she found a familiar face. Climbing up a nearby apple tree was none-other than Cadenza. Instead of the dress from before, she wore baggy clothes that looked very familiar. But Sharese played it off as still being angry with Tomas. She quietly watched the dragoness hungrily harvesting apples for a potential meal. She could see a fire built nearby. Sharese was skittish at first, but the soldiers more than likely wouldn’t be out at night. Perhaps she could take a chance at this.

A look nearby showed her a crudely-built rope trap on the ground. A rabbit or other animal would be lifted into the air with one wrong step. She set these traps before, but Cadenza did well for a beginner. Maybe that would work in her favor. She pretended not to see it and took a few steps forward.

Cadenza heard the snapping and whooshing of a rope and gasped. A smile appeared on her face and she rushed to her trap. A rabbit would be a savory meal for this evening along with some roasted apples. As she rushed to her trap, her smile faded when she found not a rabbit, but…

“Sharese?”

Sharese plastered on a grin and greeted, “Cadenza! Boy, am I glad t’ see ya!”

Instead of worry, Cadenza looked up at the teen and put her hands on her hips, narrowing her blue eyes and smirking. “You escaped from a dungeon, yet you get caught in a simple animal trap?”

The teen laughed nervously and her confidence in her plan faltered. “I-I know, right? It’s so dark, I couldn’t see it. You’re not bad at settin’ traps, y’know?”

Cadenza raised an eyebrow. “Flattery will get you nowhere.”

Okay…this wasn’t working. Cadenza acted like she was mad at her over something; maybe springing her trap or something else. As much as Sharese hated to resort to such manipulation, she decided to play upon the dragoness’ protective nature. She wore a desperate look on her face and stated, “A-Anyway, could ya help me out? This big, mean dragon tied my wings together an’ I can’t reach t’ cut ‘em loose! I was actually out lookin’ for ya so I could get free.”

Sure enough, Cadenza looked and saw the teen’s wings bound together. She would have to have a talk with someone later, but that was irrelevant now. Considering the teen sprung her trap and ran her mouth too much, she actually debated on whether to let her go…or to believe her story about the big, mean dragon. It wouldn’t surprise her if she walked into the trap on purpose. She could get her out of the trap, but maybe leaving her wings tied would teach her a lesson, too.

And then Sharese just had to say that one word. “…Please?”

Cadenza knew her heart was too big. She grimaced and let out a sigh before blowing a breath and burning the rope around Sharese’s ankle. The teen hit the ground with a painful grunt; that was well-deserved for her big mouth. With less pain, she pulled Sharese’s knife out and swiftly cut the ties around her wings. As she returned the knife, she turned around and went to get the excess rope.

“Please, use your knife for good from now on-“

When Cadenza turned around, she found the teen long-gone. No ‘thank you’, even. The mint-green dragoness brushed her hair back and blew out a frustrated breath. “Why am I such a nice dragon?”

While contemplating how to get the teen back for playing on her kindness, she heard a sound nearby and grimaced. It wasn’t the howl of a wolf or hunter’s dog. It was the odd howl that could only come from a fox. When daylight came, there would be a lot of frustration and hunting the teen down…and she wouldn’t hear the end of it. By then, Sharese would be heading towards the swamps…or worse, she would be captured by those soldiers. While she wasn’t happy with what Sharese was being used for, she didn’t look forward to the coming frustration with her escape. 

“…He is going to kill me.”

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

“Congratulations on being officially engaged.”

Past the cathedral and the city and the vast forests, even past the neighboring town, there was a buzz of excitement in the castle of the Stone Hills. The long-neglected castle was still in the process of getting back to its former glory, but the inside came back to life just that very week. That very week also was when the long-thought-dead prince returned and was crowned king. So far, the town knew…but news hadn’t reached the city and cathedral of the newly-crowned King Lindar. Nor that he was to be married to a town resident.

It was Mayor Nestor who made the statement as he stood before said king and his advisor. It was no secret to the castle staff, but the mayor still had to process the news that one of his residents would be wed to the king. A royal wedding would mean other royalty showing up to attend. That would mean a boom in business in the town, too. But he didn’t look at the wedding just for monetary gain. He was just happy to have a king and queen again.

“Yukari and I decided to marry in just a few months, just as soon as the castle’s back in good condition,” Lindar clarified. “That would give time to let all the other royals know I’m alive. I’ll have to check in on the city and the cathedral, too.”

Nestor visibly grimaced, something Lindar and Gildas caught. The green carpenter-slash-mayor looked at them and explained, “No one’s heard anything concerning the cathedral in four years. When the new bishop took over prior to that, it was like all communication was closed off. Even more so when Alois and Mercedes died…”

Lindar cast his eyes down at his parents’ names. He brushed his feelings of grief aside for the moment and stated, “I could track down a friend of mine who’s part of the cathedral. I’ve wanted to see how Tomas has been, anyway!”

“Tomas…I haven’t seen him lately. And he frequented town until recently, but only during the day,” Nestor pondered aloud. “Would you like me to send someone to track him down? He could be back in the city.”

“I would deeply appreciate that, Mayor Nestor,” the light-blue dragon replied. 


	5. Shot to the Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tomas is none too pleased that his young 'friend' has escaped. However, the teen's escape attracts unwanted attention and results in a near-casualty. As Tomas sends Sharese to take the injured nightingale to a dragon named Unika, she makes a horrifying discovery and puts two and two together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've finally returned to this baby. I've had some writer's block and Crash Bandicoot and Fire Emblem took over for quite a bit. Nonetheless, I've finally finished this chapter and it'll solve the mystery so far (if you haven't figured it out already)! The next chapter or two will be flashback chapters to answer how this all began. Until next time, stay tuned!

Chapter 5: Shot to the Heart

For the past few days, the city was abuzz with whispers. Much of it came from the black market, but even those who attended the cathedral on a daily basis couldn’t help but talk. The glaring subject was that someone escaped the rumored dungeon inside the cathedral and fled to the forests. But the whispers grew as the other subject came about even with lower-ranking cathedral members. Word that Tomas returned after over two years.

Marco heard every bit of the whispers and felt conflicted. He also had to deal with the bishop breathing down his throat, berating him for not getting it under control. 

Long ago, Marco wouldn’t have taken talk like that. If it was anyone else, the slender dragon would have told them where to stick their attitude. However, they didn’t have dark secrets on him…

So far, the soldiers hadn’t returned from their search for Tomas or the Swamp Rat. Gnasher hadn’t bothered sending Gnero out; he didn’t think they were a big enough problem for Gnero to dirty his hands over. For now, the Gnorc stuck around to personally protect the bishop and coldly berate any soldiers failing their mission. He overheard Gnasher complaining about the city having no riches left, not to mention having Tomas slip through his fingers. He also heard him threaten the soldiers not to harm the bird Tomas had with him and to ‘bring her back alive’. What was Gnasher’s obsession with this bird? 

Things weren’t the same after the old bishop died mysteriously. Things got worse when his friends fled the cathedral…

All Marco knew was that as long as Gnasher was around, he had to do his job whether he liked it or not. If he wanted to, Gnasher would spill Marco’s darkest secret and turn him into a social pariah. Every time he thought of it, he felt pain where his real wings were. Why did Tomas have to show up again and complicate things? It was unfair to blame his former friend for what went on, but still…

It was early that morning when Marco heard it. He didn’t mean to listen in, but as soon as he heard the bishop’s voice, he couldn’t help but tune in to what was behind closed doors. He should’ve known better; doing that cost him dearly in the past. But it was different this time.

“All this talk has got to stop. There won’t be a king or queen to step in and investigate, but-“

Gnasher was cut off by the timid voice of one of the deacons, who stated, “W-Wait…you didn’t hear? The late King Alois and Queen Mercedes…their son’s alive! Prince Lindar has been crowned King as is set to be married! This will really help the city-“

“No one in the city’s going to know as long as I’m around.”

Marco’s jaw slacked open. The prince was long-thought to be dead over three years ago when the king and queen passed away. It was around the time rumors of the Clockwork King started. Now he just heard that the prince returned and took the throne. Gnasher should’ve been elated as tithes from royalty would help the city and the cathedral. At the same time, should the now-King Lindar come into the city and learn of some of Gnasher’s activities didn’t reflect well upon the cathedral, he could be removed as bishop.

“B-But-“

“I’ll deal with that. Until then, let everyone in the city think the royalty’s long-gone. Right now, my focus is getting a bird and squashing a bard and a thief.”

Marco quickly and quietly marched away before he heard anything else that could land him in hot water.

* * *

Sharese lost track of how far she walked, but she was out of the forests and around some small farms. As far as she could see, there were hogs and sheep grazing the fields. She planted herself on a small overlook and gazed at the scenery, with the smell of manure drifting into her nostrils. She found herself elated to be out of the forests and away from that crazy bard and his bird. Even her view of Cadenza soured a little when it seemed the dragoness would literally leave her hanging, but at least she finally let her go with a little manipulation. 

The thought of playing the older dragoness left a sour taste in the teen’s mouth. Thinking of Tomas frantically searching for her made the taste unbearable. She couldn’t let that bard get to her after he tied her wings together, and yet he still saved her from getting an arrow to the back. And she messed up one of Cadenza’s traps when she should’ve helped her find some game to eat. The voices of her brother and her fellow swamp dragons calling her an ungrateful brat echoed in her mind, prompting the teen to grit her fangs in aggravation.

As she tried to drown the scolding voices out, she could hear an exasperated voice gripe, “By the Lord’s grace, as soon as I find that girl, I’m tying her legs, too!”

Sharese shot her head up and peered over the grass, finding none-other than Tomas entering the fray. This was the first time she saw that cheerful bard angry and ready to tear her head off. She could hear the nightingale chirping in an argumentative tone and Tomas shooting back with a few scolding words of his own. The young dragoness snickered and watched them from her hiding spot. She would make her getaway as soon as her revelry in their argument ended. At least she would have if not for the shadows looming over her.

“Whatcha watchin’, Swamp Rat?”

Before Sharese could act, hands belonging to a familiar-garbed soldier seized her by the shoulders and hoisted her upward. There she was greeted by a total of five of them. The dragoness frantically flapped her wings and flailed in desperation, but couldn’t escape the soldier’s iron grip. Feeling that the Lord hit her with another dose of divine retribution, she did the only thing she knew to do at the moment: scream. Another soldier readied a club to knock her out and silence her screams. They didn’t count on a furious dragon flying towards them and readying a breath of flames. 

Tomas swiped and spewed flames at the soldiers, ignoring the dumbfounded teen sitting in the grass. The nightingale hovered in the air, attempting to distract the soldiers whenever they readied a blow for the bard. While Tomas took care of the club-wielding fiend, another readied a bolt in his crossbow and aimed right for the dragon’s chest. The nightingale flew in his face as he pulled the trigger, but the bolt made its mark in Tomas’ wing, making the dragon double-over in pain.

The soldier wasn’t deterred; he readied yet another shot to finish the bard off. Right then, Sharese got over her dumbfounded state and wasn’t about to let him be killed. As the soldier readied his shot, the teen lunged and sunk her teeth into his stubby tail. The soldier yowled and raised his crossbow up when it triggered. It wouldn’t hit Tomas…

…but Sharese’s heart sank when the bolt struck the nightingale.

Tomas immediately forgot about the pain in his wing and drove the other soldiers away when he saw the horrifying sight. Knocking away the crossbow-wielding fiend, he instantly dove forward and caught the injured bird before she could hit the ground. His own heart sank and tears pooled in his eyes; she wasn’t dead, but she wouldn’t last if left untreated. It hurt more knowing that he himself attempting to pull the bolt out would most likely kill her. There was only one person he knew who could help her…and sadly, he wasn’t in any shape to take her himself. A dragon with one good wing wasn’t any good.

“…I-I’m so sorry, my dear. I-I didn’t mean for you to be in such bad shape,” Tomas apologized softly. He forced a smile and whispered, “E-Everything will be all right…just hold on for me, all right?”

Ignoring the guilt written on Sharese’s face, he took his cape off and gingerly wrapped the nightingale in it. He held the bundle out to the teen and commanded in a faltering voice, “Fly up north, and you’ll find a ruined castle by the sea. Take her there and look for a dragon named Unika. You must go now!”

Sharese, still wracked with guilt over the bird’s state, hesitated, insisting, “T-Tomas, th’ bird’s not gonna make it! A-An’ my wings haven’t caught up yet, I-I can’t-“

“Yes. You. Can.” Tomas’ voice was low, yet desperate. Against her protests, he shoved the bird into her arms and pointed up north. His stern expression melted and pain took over, pleading, “Please…take her to him. I’m no use to her right now…”

Sharese looked between the nightingale and Tomas before shakily turning around. Before she could take off, Tomas spoke in a low tone, “…and if you let her die, I will haunt you for the rest of your days.”

She said nothing, only furiously flapping her wings and getting herself into the sky. Despite her stumbling and holding the bundle with an iron grip, the teen kept herself in the sky long enough to slowly disappear from Tomas’ view. That left Tomas alone and worried. He took the opportunity to yank the bolt out of his wing with a pained grunt. His physical pain was nothing compared to the pain of seeing her hurt. The thought of losing her brought him to his knees and made him bow his head. He held back tears as he clasped his hands together and put his trust in the Lord.

“…Lord, let them make it. By your grace, let her live…”

* * *

Sharese flew over another nearby farm when her wings started getting tired. The horrible thing about going from quadruped from biped was waiting for the wings to catch up and bear the shift in weight. At this rate, they wouldn’t reach this ruined castle and this Unika guy. The sun slowly going down just made the journey worse. Tomas had to face the fact that the bird would die and that was part of life.

_‘You should’ve stayed put, stupid. It was your fault th’ bird got shot, you’re fixin’ it.’_

The teen groaned and kept herself in the air. The weak chirps of the bird didn’t help matters, only fueling her guilt further. As she glanced down, a farmer watched over a group of alpacas and let them graze. The light of inspiration hit her like a club and she started to descend on one in particular. The repercussions of this idea could wait; it was time to rest and save this bird at the same time. Before the poor farmer could react, she landed on the alpaca and the animal bolted with a squawk. 

“Hey, you thief!”

Sharese turned back and yelled, “Got an emergency! I’ll send it back!”

It wasn’t a horse or a giant wild boar, but an alpaca would do. She held on to the creature’s neck and kept the bird cradled to her chest. As they traversed the plains leading to the hilly seaside, the teen looked down at the weakened bird and grumbled, “I really hope you’re worth all this trouble.”

The nightingale gave her a pointed look. While she deserved said look, Sharese didn’t know what was so special about this bird. The way Tomas was so attached to her, it was like she was more than just a pet. She was used to seeing animals pass from unfortunate circumstances; it was the way things went. Still, she couldn’t help but pity the pained look on the bird’s face. She made the alpaca pick up the pace until she could see an old castle on the hill. A very small castle, reminding her more of a noble’s chateau, sat with numerous cracks in the stone and wood rotting in several places. It looked to be a better place for brigands and thieves to hide out in…

She looked to the nightingale and poked her beak with her claw, boasting, “Hey, I got us here, happy now?”

In response, the bird pecked at the skin of her finger, prompting the teen to hiss and threaten, “Do that again an’ I’m droppin’ you!” Sharese then hopped off the alpaca and went to the old wooden bridge, shouting, “Hey! Hello! Someone better be home! Hey!”

After a moment, a figure appeared over the stone ledge. A heavyset, light-orange dragon with dark-purple hair sleepily looked down at her and rubbed his mustache and beard. He tugged at his old robes and called down, “What’s a child like you doing out at this hour? The sun’s about to go down!”

“Sorry t’ interrupt your beauty sleep,” Sharese called sarcastically, “but I’ve got a bird here!”

The dragon yawned and waved his hand upward, calling, “Well, it’s not too late for a light meal! I’ll prep it with some herbs!”

Sharese’s jaw slacked before she sputtered and shouted, “We ain’t eatin’ this bird, you ol’ fart!”

The dragon’s eyes widened before he put his hand to his forehead. “Oh, Lord, it’s fasting time again, isn’t it?”

Losing her patience and shaking the bird awake, the teen shouted back, “Look, I’m guessin’ you’re Unika! If you don’t help this dang bird, Tomas is gonna kill me!”

The dragon-Unika-went pale and finally saw the shape of the bird in question. The very mention of Tomas told him all he needed to know as well. In a frantic voice, he called to the teen, “Bring her up here now! And watch the boards on the bridge, child!”

With a sigh of relief, Sharese shooed the alpaca away and bolted for the bridge heading into the castle. The boards were rotted from age and water damage, prompting her to be light with her steps and yelp when a board or two creaked. The weaving stone steps took her to the balcony area, with the lower part holding weathered benches and a central fire pit, and the upper leading to a lone wooden door to who-knows-what. Sharese paid no heed to the setting sun and instead met the eyes of the heavyset elder dragon.

Unika gently scooped the bird out of the teen’s hands. He knew there wouldn’t be much time, and she obviously didn’t know the circumstances behind Tomas and the nightingale. The truth was often too much for dragons her age. He headed to the mysterious room behind the wooden door, calling to the teen, “Remain out here. I’ll let you know how she is.”

“But-“

Unika pretended not to hear the teen protest when he closed the door. His aged eyes went to the nightingale and the ugly bolt sticking out of her body. If she was still able to chirp and flap her wings-albeit weakly-then perhaps it didn’t penetrate her organs. She was truly blessed by the Lord, in that case. Maybe hope was meant for them after all. He carefully laid the nightingale upon an old bed and unwrapped her, quickly glancing between her and the disappearing sun. 

“We have to wait just a little while longer,” Unika whispered soothingly, “and then we can get you fixed up.”

The light-orange dragon quickly realized, however, that he lacked the vital herbs he needed to help her. Suppressing a sigh, he excused himself and exited the chamber, intent on heading for the nearby field and gathering potent herbs to numb the pain and curb infection. It would be much easier if he could fly to the famed doctor of the distant town, but there was no time. He quickly locked the door as to give his patient privacy and protect her from unwanted intruders.

But he forgot to account for his other guest.

Sharese had waited patiently on the roof of the chamber until Unika exited. Locking the door meant he would be gone for a while, but she gave it a moment to be sure he wouldn’t surprise her. The sun was down, so he wouldn’t easily see her hopping down from the roof and exercising a vital skill for a thief. She stuck her knife into the large padlock Unika put in place and carefully began the delicate work of picking it. Time was of essence, but she wasn’t about to break her knife, either. Finally, the lock popped open and Sharese removed it with a grin.

She didn’t know why she was so eager to break into the room. Her general curiosity or genuine worry for the bird played a part, she admitted, and the fear of Tomas haunting her the rest of her life. She backed into the room and closed the door so Unika wouldn’t spot her. Now to check on the poor bird and get rid of her guilty conscience.

The teen’s dark-grey scales went ashen as soon as she turned around. 

There was no nightingale on the bed. Instead, with the bolt still in place in her chest, was Cadenza.

The pained look on Cadenza’s face turned to one of shock when she spotted the teen gawking at her. While she was embarrassed to be laying exposed to her, that didn’t compare to the sinking feeling of knowing her dire secret was out. Her blue eyes locked with Sharese’s brown eyes, no words between them, until the latter broke the silence.

“…W-What is goin’ on?”

The mint-green dragoness, in spite of her pain, replied, “…I’m sorry, Sharese. I didn’t mean for you…to find out like this.” She reached out to her, but her face fell when Sharese backed away in fear. “P-Please…let me explain…”

That didn’t shake the teen out of her shock. Instead, she put two and two together and mumbled, “T-Then…if you’re th’ bird…t-that means th’ fox is-“

Before Sharese could come to the dire conclusion, Unika hurriedly appeared with a bundle of herbs and found the two dragonesses staring at each-other. Nothing came out of the teen’s mouth, and Cadenza only offered a pained sigh. The heavyset dragon sighed deeply; he didn’t feel like scolding the younger dragoness for breaking and entering. Without much effort, Unika pushed her out of the room and closed the door behind him. 

Sharese ignored him telling her to stay out and simply stared out into the darkness. She felt her heart skip a beat when a fox’s mournful howl resonated nearby.

Now with no distractions, Unika knew he had to move fast. A look of guilt flashed upon his aged face when he locked eyes with Cadenza as memories danced through his mind. It pained him to see her in pain and so helpless right now. She and Tomas…had it not been for his own weakness, they wouldn’t be suffering now. He could at least pay some repentance by helping her before infection set in. He quickly mixed the herbs together into a paste that would help numb her wound and stave off any infection. With a quick application, he steadied his breathing and took hold of the bolt.

As he went to cover Cadenza’s eyes, she quickly moved his hand away and gave him a firm nod. He opened his mouth before she beat him to it, assuring, “I-It’s okay, Unika…I trust you.”

She trusted him, but it didn’t hurt any less to do this. He mouthed counting to three before pulling the bolt out of the dragoness’ chest.

Cadenza’s scream echoed through the room and sounded along with the fox’s howl. Outside, Sharese could only bury her snout between her knees and cover her head with her arms.

What did she just get herself into?


End file.
